September 4 saw another lively meeting as Books on Tap discussed As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner. Opinions were split, with some really enjoying the book while others struggled with it. Though even those who enjoyed it admitted that while it is shorter and easier than Faulkner’s other books, it is still hard to read.

Faulkner was born in New Albany, MS in 1897 but lived most of his life in Oxford, MS. He set his books in fictional Yoknapatawpha County, a stand in for Lafayette County, where Oxford is located. Faulkner was a contemporary of James Joyce and T.S. Eliot. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1949. He had a connection to Charlottesville, having been author in residence at the University of Virginia from February to June 1957 and again in 1958. His grandson lives in the area and runs a winery, Knight’s Gambit, named after one of Faulkner’s short story collections.

One reader noted that if you read a review about a book written by someone who starts out not liking the book but changes their mind while reading, it helps you appreciate the book better. In particular, they mentioned Faulkner’s vibrant descriptions. Another person thought it would be best read while you’re a depressed teenager.

A fan of the book said that each time they read it, they find it funnier, like a shameless TV show. For them it goes so quickly that it was a high return for not a lot of investment. A number of the attendees enjoyed the dark humor. Others didn’t see it as humorous, but tragic. That was the characters’ life. They saw Faulkner’s use of stereotypes as deliberately making fun of people for their lives.  

“…the reason for living was to get ready to stay dead a long time.”

The story follows the family of Anse and Addie Bundren. When Addie dies, her family sets out to fulfill her last request, to be buried in the town she came from. Like Joyce and Eliot, Faulkner referenced classic literature in his work. Someone said he stole all of the dark, comic characters from Shakespeare. Another person mentioned elements of the Odyssey. Everyone knew the coffin was going into the river. One reader described the journey as one last attempt for Anse to regain his dignity and manhood. Throughout the journey, with mishap following mishap, the rest of the family lost so much more than just a mother. 

The stream of consciousness style generated a lot of discussion. The reader gets all of these narratives (15 characters across 59 chapters!) but they are mixed up, not in chronological order. We never get the full story, but are dependent on what the characters choose to reveal. A lot is left to inference. For one reader, Darl’s narratives stood out as very different from the others’, much more poetic and beautiful.

Attendees agreed that the characters were difficult. Dewey Dell was doing her best. But they were all focused only on their own narratives, never showing any awareness of other perspectives. One person described the family as having no sense of community with each other, definitely dysfunctional. Another reader described Anse as a caricature of a country bumpkin. He’s hunchbacked, toothless, and, as one reader said, willfully self-centered. Other characters help him repeatedly at their own expense, which did generate a bit of sympathy for them. 

Some readers pointed out that Addie and Anse did not teach the children to interact and behave as a family. For one reader, Addie’s voice sounded awful and harsh. She hated children as a schoolteacher yet got married and had children of her own. Another reader pointed out that at the time, she would not have had any options. There were very few jobs available for women. And Anse actively stalked her until she agreed to marry him. Another possible factor was that at the time, many families had lots of children, but it wasn’t uncommon for some to die. So parents might remain more detached and aloof.

While opinions remained mixed after the discussion, there were a few recommendations. Several said that it really helped to have an edition with an introduction that gives some context, especially for something written so long ago. For one reader, having the introduction point out the dark humor allowed them to see it as they read. Another recommended the audiobook which had multiple readers and an introduction by Jesmyn Ward, who was influenced by Faulkner.

See reading lists Books on Tap 2024-2025 and Books on Tap history.